When the first Boeing 777-200LR Worldlinerthe world's longest-range
commercial airlinerwas unveiled in February, the event reflected
the overall 777 marketing theme of "Going the Distance." But
before the crowd of 5,000 viewed the ceremony, dozens of employees already
had been going the distance for months, preparing to make the unveiling
a success.

From start to finish, the rollout event at the Boeing factory in Everett,
Wash., took about a half hour. But the 777-200LR rollout team, featuring
representatives from numerous functions, collaborated during weekly meetings
to plan and prepare for the Feb. 15 event. Indeed, there was a tremendous
amount of teamwork, creativity, planning, patience and problem solving
that occurred to make those 30 minutes successful.

"Our primary objective from the start was to have a fun, engaging
and different kind of rollout that honored our customers, employees,
partners and suppliers," said Gary Wicks, 777 Marketing manager.

In October 2004, three event-production companies were asked to submit
bids for the rollout. St. Louis–based 141 Worldwide stood out from
the others for its unique ideas, including how to build anticipation
at the beginning of the show. "They also had a real human element,
which was very important," added Wicks.

Robin Nunn, senior production manager for 141 Worldwide, said it took
hundreds of hours of planning, design work and coordination with Boeing
focals before their team arrived in Everett just days before the event.

PIA official brings greetings from Pakistan

Sughra Junejo, the first and currently only female member
of Pakistan International Airlines' board of directors, was
the guest speaker during February's 777-200LR rollout ceremony
in Everett, Wash. Junejo shared the airline's enthusiasm for
the 777 family and its pride in being the first to receive
the new 777-200LR.

Junejo acquired her advanced degree in medicine from University
of California, Berkeley, before returning to her home country.
No longer a practicing M.D., she now runs her family's business
in Pakistan, one of the country's largest agricultural businesses,
in addition to attending to her duties with PIA.

As shown by Junejo's presence at the 777-200LR unveiling,
where she acknowledged Boeing's cooperation and strong relationship
with Pakistan International Airlines, women continue to play
a growing role in the economic development of Pakistan. Junejo
was joined on the podium by two other women in important roles:
Washington state Gov. Christine Gregoire, and Capt. Suzanna
Darcy-Hennemann, Boeing's first female lead test pilot on a
commercial airliner's inaugural flight. That flight took place
on International Woman's Day, no less, with Darcy-Hennemann
at the controls of the 777-200LR.

Brian Walke

"The months before the rollout we did computer modeling for lighting
and audio design and worked on the special effects," Nunn said.
Once in Everett, Nunn and his team had to work quickly and closely with
Boeing Workplace Services and Manufacturing employees to set up the event.
The team needed to build not only the "show" area but also
separate platforms for sound, lighting and video/audio.

Nunn said one of the biggest challenges for
his team was unloading the trucks and building an entire show for a
test the day before the unveiling,
having to take it all down for a 777 line move and then rebuilding the
show in 12 hours for the rollout. "There was a phenomenal amount
of work that needed to be done. This is a huge undertaking, and it takes
the combined talents of many people to achieve a project of this magnitude," he
added.

Turning the 40-25 Building south bayjust 350 feet wideinto
a "show" is no easy task. Since it was the production company's
first time working in the factory, Boeing Workplace Services had to work
especially closely with 141 Worldwide.

"We had to have a good plan since we had a little more than three
days to set up," said Carrie Angeles, Everett site project administrator
and the prime facilities focal for the event. Three days before the event,
local union riggers began setting points on the overhead steel roof structure
so they could mount the lighting and speaker trusses, as well as the
trusses for 50-foot-high plastic material that cordoned off the show
area and created a sense of anticipation for the gathering crowd.

Also involved in the setup:

Electricians provided temporary power for lighting and all
of the audio/visual equipment.

Material handling teammates moved equipment and offloaded
the vendor trucks.

The entire effort wasn't without challenges, including the triple-line
move during the setup, which required coordination from Flight Line and
Paint Hangar and Material Handling and Operation employees.

Angeles, who also has worked on various 767 and 777 rollouts, said there
has to be a working-together attitude among all the team players and
emotional resilience to be successful.

"It's worth it in the end," Angeles said. "All
the employees, special guests and dignitaries who attended were very
happy."

"The event was well done. It is amazing how the production company
and Facilities transformed the factory into a stage," said Geer,
a volunteer at the event.

While thousands of employees watched the unveiling from inside the factory,
thousands more watched via webcast. According to SSG computing, 4,700
people saw the event via webcast. Their team set up alongside the production
company's control room.

Another SSG team, Video Services, worked for
hours on the rollout, including shooting, writing and editing the opening
and closing videos. The team
also had to set up cameras, the video switching for the webcast and recording
equipment, said Linda Couvion, Video Services producer. "It takes
a lot of people, a lot of hours and coordination to pull one of these
off. Nothing works unless we work together," she added.

Security also plays a vital part of the planning and cross-functional
coordination.

"Our goal is to safely protect our personnel and our assets at
these events," said Peter Stuart, Everett site Security and Fire
Protection senior manager. "I consider the event a major accomplishment
because we helped the team meet their rollout objectives. There were
no incidents, and everyone was safe."

What takes months to plan ends quickly. Within two hours after the event,
the facilities team was already fast at work taking rigging down, removing
equipment off the floor and loading the production company's two semis
and smaller box truck. Material Handling moved the airplane to the flight
line around 5 p.m., and the airplane officially started its preparation
for first flight, which took place on March 8.

So was the unveiling a success? Procurement employee Bill Friedrich
thinks so.

"I liked the presentation, and viewing the airplane is always spectacular.
It is nice when you can walk around the airplane, too," he said.

"I'm ecstatic," said Lars Andersen, 777 vice president and
program manager. "Our intent was to emphasize people from around
the world, communities, customers and suppliers, and it really came through."